Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, December 12, 2025
We, the participants of the International Forum dedicated to the “International Year of Peace and Trust” (2025), International Day of Neutrality, and the 30th Anniversary of the Permanent Neutrality of Turkmenistan, gathered on December 12, 2025, in the city of Ashgabat at the invitation of the Government of Turkmenistan in cooperation with the United Nations, acting in implementation of General Assembly resolution 78/266 of March 21, 2024, which proclaimed 2025 as the “International Year of Peace and Trust”, and guided by the desire to strengthen multilateral dialogue, mutual understanding, and cooperation among states in the interests of peace, security, and sustainable development,
Reaffirming our commitment to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, including the sovereign equality of states, respect for territorial integrity, non-interference in internal affairs, and the peaceful settlement of disputes, which remain key principles and a solid foundation of the modern international order,
Reiterating our unwavering commitment to strengthening multilateralism based on universal respect for international law, and recognizing the central role of the United Nations in promoting the creation of a peaceful, stable, and prosperous world, as well as in effectively addressing global challenges through inclusive dialogue and joint action,
Recalling General Assembly resolution 70/1 of September 25, 2015, entitled “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” in which it adopted a comprehensive, forward-looking, and people-centered set of universal and transformative Sustainable Development Goals and targets,
Recalling also the relevant provisions of the Declaration and Program of Action on a Culture of Peace[1], the Pact for the Future[2], and the New Agenda for Peace[3],
Recalling further General Assembly resolutions 50/80 A of December 12, 1995, 69/285 of June 3, 2015, and 79/274 of March 21, 2025, on the Permanent Neutrality of Turkmenistan, and reaffirming strong support for the status of permanent neutrality proclaimed and consistently pursued by Turkmenistan, which has become an important factor in strengthening peace, stability, and cooperation at the regional and global levels,
Referring to General Assembly resolutions 71/275 of February 2, 2017, on the proclamation of the International Day of Neutrality, and 75/28 of December 7, 2020, on the Role and significance of the policy of neutrality in maintaining and strengthening international peace, security, and sustainable development,
Recalling the Ashgabat Outcome Documents of 2015[4] and 2020[5], and noting the efforts of the Government of Turkmenistan to institutionalize dialogue on issues of neutrality, preventive diplomacy, and peace in accordance with the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations,
Welcoming the outcomes of the United Nations General Assembly High-level meeting on regional zones of peace, convened by the President of the General Assembly on July 7, 2025, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York in implementation of resolution 79/5 of October 24, 2024, as well as the ongoing efforts to strengthen the Central Asian Zone of Peace, Trust, and Cooperation as a regional embodiment of peace based on neutrality and preventive diplomacy,
Welcoming also the establishment and continued work of the Group of Friends of Neutrality for Peace, Security, and Sustainable Development, an informal group founded on the initiative of Turkmenistan in August 2020 and operating on the basis of the Outcome Declaration of the Group's first Ministerial Meeting[6] as a mechanism for maintaining a broad multilateral dialogue on the practical application of the principles of neutrality in conflict prevention, addressing their root causes and consequences, resolving humanitarian issues, and promoting neutrality in international relations,
Recognizing the increasing interdependence between peace, security, and sustainable development and emphasizing that trust, mutual respect, mutual understanding, and neutrality are essential elements of the international order,
Recalling that 2025 marks the 30th Anniversary of the Permanent Neutrality of Turkmenistan, which has become an example of a constructive and peace-loving foreign policy contributing to the strengthening of trust and cooperation among peoples,
I. Strengthening Peace, Trust, and Dialogue
1. We affirm that peace, trust, and dialogue remain the most crucial pillars of international relations and the foundation for a just, inclusive, and secure global order, recognizing that these principles form the moral and political basis for cooperation among peoples and states, and that without trust and dialogue, there can be no sustainable peace, security, or development;
2. We emphasize that in an increasingly complex and interdependent world, the culture of peace and trust must be strengthened through sustained political will, open communication, and genuine multilateral dialogue, as reflected in the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, and in this regard, we welcome the work of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations;
3. We recall in this regard General Assembly resolutions 76/299 of July 28, 2022, and 78/266 of March 21, 2024, in which the Assembly decided to observe International Years of Peace and Trust every five years with the aim of maintaining constant attention to the promotion of the ideals of peace and trust, and we welcome the designation of 2030 as the next International Year of Peace and Trust, in order to continue consolidating efforts to prevent conflicts, encourage dialogue, and strengthen mutual understanding among peoples;
4. We welcome the General Assembly resolution proclaiming May 16 as the International Day of Living Together in Peace, aimed at mobilizing the efforts of the international community to promote peace, tolerance, inclusiveness, mutual understanding, and solidarity, as well as expressing commitment to the desire to live and act together, preserving unity without abandoning differences and diversity;
5. We call upon all Member States, United Nations system entities, regional and sub-regional organizations, as well as civil society, including non-governmental organizations and individuals, to continue to actively contribute to the observance of the International Years of Peace and Trust by organizing educational, cultural, and political initiatives that strengthen mutual respect, tolerance, and cooperation among peoples and foster an atmosphere of trust and mutual understanding in all areas of international cooperation;
6. We recognize that the national policy of neutrality, consistently pursued by a number of states, serves as an important instrument for conflict prevention, strengthening relations based on trust and mutual respect, and creating favorable conditions for enhancing stability and promoting constructive dialogue at the regional and global levels;
7. We also recognize the leadership of Turkmenistan, which, through its policy of permanent neutrality, consistently promotes a systemic approach to international relations based on dialogue, peace, and trust, by initiating and implementing global campaigns within the framework of the International Year of Dialogue as a Guarantee of Peace, 2023[7] , and the International Years of Peace and Trust[8], which serve as a practical model for confidence-building measures;
We reaffirm that this multi-dimensional approach, based on the policy of neutrality and guided by the principle of equal and indivisible security, contributes not only to political stability but also to social, economic, environmental, and humanitarian sustainability, thereby strengthening the global culture of peace;
II. Strengthening Preventive Diplomacy and Mediation
9. We underscore the importance of preventive diplomacy as one of the key instruments for conflict prevention and the maintenance of international peace, which must be applied in strict accordance with the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations;
10. We recall the unanimous adoption of Security Council resolution 2788, which urgently calls for the effective utilization of mechanisms for the peaceful settlement of disputes, as provided for in Article 33 of the Charter of the United Nations, including mediation;
11. We encourage the effective use of the territories of neutral states for conducting peace negotiations and conflict resolution processes, including the establishment of specialized platforms for mediation, and we note with appreciation the proposal by Turkmenistan to establish on its territory a Chamber of Mediation for Peace under the auspices of the United Nations, which requires consideration by Member States and the UN system, as noted in General Assembly resolution 79/274;
12. We welcome the request by the General Assembly[9] to the Secretary-General of the United Nations to develop, within existing resources and in consultation with UN Member States and other relevant parties, Guidelines for the observance and implementation of the principles of neutrality for peace and security, with particular attention to summarizing accumulated experience and key principles for the effective application of neutrality in international relations;
9. We emphasize the important role of the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia, located in Ashgabat, in accordance with its mandate[10], in facilitating dialogue and cooperation for peace and stability in the region and beyond, and we encourage the establishment and strengthening of similar mechanisms in other regions;
10. We note the United Nations' experience in peacemaking, based on the broad use of political-diplomatic means and methods of preventive diplomacy, and with a view to developing the applied nature of neutrality, carrying out research and educational activities in this regard, and taking into account the United Nations General Assembly resolution on the “University for Peace”[11], we welcome the proposal by Turkmenistan to establish a University of Peace and Neutrality in cooperation with the United Nations;
III. Promoting the Concept of Global Security based on Neutrality
15. We welcome the efforts of Turkmenistan to develop a Concept of Global Security based on Neutrality, aimed at shaping a modern understanding of collective peace founded on trust, respect for sovereignty, neutrality, and non-interference, designed to complement the evolving global security architecture with practical mechanisms that bridge differences and prioritize peaceful coexistence over confrontation;
15. We invite United Nations Member States, the Non-Aligned Movement, and other regional and international organizations to welcome the ongoing efforts to develop and promote the Concept of Global Security based on Neutrality under the auspices of the United Nations as a framework for achieving consensus and strengthening multilateral cooperation, guided by the principles and purposes enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations;
16. We recognize that neutrality, in its permanent and active form, embodies not indifference, but responsibility – a principled commitment to conflict prevention through impartiality, good offices, mediation, and confidence-building, while maintaining constructive engagement with all parties in the interest of international peace and security;
17. We recognize that neutrality, in its permanent and active form, embodies not indifference, but responsibility—a principled commitment to conflict prevention through impartiality, good offices, mediation, and confidence-building, while maintaining constructive engagement with all parties in the interest of international peace and security;
IV. Synergy of Peace, Trust, and Sustainable Development
18. We reaffirm that sustainable development cannot be achieved without peace and security, and peace and security will be at risk without sustainable development, as emphasized in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;
19. We underscore that neutrality has a profound humanitarian dimension, based on universal principles[12], including the principles of humanity, impartiality, and non-discrimination, and that neutral states play an important role in facilitating the provision of humanitarian assistance in situations of conflict, emergencies, and natural disasters;
20.We encourage initiatives that promote the equal participation and full involvement of women, as well as the meaningful participation of youth, in all efforts to maintain and strengthen peace and security;
21. We welcome initiatives on the proclamation of the International Day of Multilingual Diplomacy and the International Day of Mediation as tools and frameworks for strengthening peace and mutual understanding among peoples;
22. We recognize the potential of digital technologies and Artificial Intelligence in contributing to peace, dialogue, and sustainable development, while strongly emphasizing the need to ensure their ethical use in accordance with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations;
V. Maintaining Cooperation in the Future
23. We welcome the initiative of Turkmenistan to explore the possibility of developing a Global Code of International Trust as an additional instrument to promote equality, mutual respect, trust, and shared responsibility, based on the principles of the Charter of the United Nations;
24. We reaffirm the importance of regularly holding international and regional forums dedicated to the issues of neutrality, peace, and trust, in line with the commitments enshrined in the Ashgabat Outcome Documents of 2015 and 2020;
25. We call upon United Nations Member States to strengthen mechanisms for multilateral cooperation as the foundation for global peace and we express support for the proposal by Turkmenistan to proclaim 2028 as the Year of International Law, which will reflect collective efforts to reinforce the universality and supremacy of the norms and principles of international law enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations;
26. We express deep gratitude to the people and the Government of Turkmenistan for hosting the International Forum dedicated to the International Year of Peace and Trust (2025), the International Day of Neutrality, and the 30th Anniversary of the Permanent Neutrality of Turkmenistan, and for their consistent contribution to strengthening global peace, stability, and cooperation through the consistent implementation of the principles of permanent neutrality;
27. We reaffirm our readiness to continue interaction within the framework of the United Nations, regional organizations, and bilateral mechanisms to ensure the practical implementation of the ideas and proposals developed during the Forum;
28. We call upon all Member States, United Nations bodies, and relevant partners to continue strengthening the spirit of dialogue, trust, and partnership, thereby ensuring that peace and trust remain the lasting legacy of the United Nations and the defining priorities of international cooperation in the 21st century.
